Here is a detailed review of the SimpliSafe Home Security System Review and Prices 2024
Most people love the idea of keeping their property and family secure but they don’t like the idea of locking themselves into a long-term service contract or expensive monthly monitoring fees.
This is where SimpliSafe comes in handy as it offers a DIY smart home security system that is easy to set up and use without long-term binding contracts.
SimpliSafe is a seamless system that succeeded quite well in what it was intended to do – protect your home flexibly and simply, letting you keep tabs on what is happening in your home remotely with or without an affordable monthly plan.
In this review, we will be honest about where SimpliSafe shines and its shortcomings. The most important thing to be aware of is that SimpliSafe is not designed to be part of your smart home ecosystem.
So, if you have a sophisticated smart home ecosystem, it might outgrow SimpliSafe before you even realize it. With that said, read on to find out more information about this home security system.
SimpliSafe Overview
Generally, SimpliSafe is straightforward and costs less than most competitors. Simple equipment will cost you around $245, which includes a free indoor camera.
When compared with similar equipment from other home security companies, we found that SimpliSafe has competitive prices only beaten by Wyze and Cove.
When it comes to monitoring fees, SimpliSafe is also affordable and typically costs between $0 and $29.99 per month. The good thing is that SimpliSafe’s professional monitoring services are optional.
Moreover, you can add, cancel, upgrade or downgrade at any time without penalties. We will discuss more about SimpliSafe pricing in the next sections.
| Pros | Cons |
| – 60-day money-back guarantee cheap monthly fee contracts. – Easy setupFinancing available – Affordable equipment. – Stylish design – Free self-monitoring option – Rapid SOS integration – Video alarm verification – Cheap monthly fees | – Limited smart home compatibility – Quiet base station sirenSimple functions. – Do not support multiple logins |
SimpliSafe Plans and Prices
As mentioned above, SimpliSafe offers one of the most competitive security systems. We are confident that you will get value for your money. And the good thing is that it is flexible in terms of monitoring.
So, if you don’t want to spend anything beyond the purchase of equipment, SimpliSafe got you covered.
Here is a table that illustrates more about SimpliSafe packages.
| Monitoring plan | Monthly fee | Monitoring | Video verification | Timeline access | Video recording | Smart home integration |
| Fast Protect | $29.99 | Profesional | Yes | Unlimited | Up to 10 cameras | yes |
| Standard Monitoring | $19.99 | Professional | No | 7 days | No | No |
| Self Monitoring | $9.99 | Self | No | Unlimited | Up to 5 cameras | Yes |
| Unmonitored | $0.00 | Self | No | 7 days | No | No |
As far as professional monitoring is concerned, we highly recommend SimpliSafe Fast Protect plan, and for good reasons.
While it costs more than other SimpliSafe packages, it is still cheaper when compared to competitors like Frontpoint. Other things that make SimpliSafe Fast Protect plan impressive are:
- Better video quality with unlimited camera recording, video verification, and on-demand recording
- Better suited for emergencies because it comes with 24/7 monitoring, emergency dispatch, Live Guard, fire monitoring, and medical response.
- Comes with better equipment that has a lifetime warranty and a 10% discount on every accessory purchase.
SimpliSafe vs. the Competition
SimpliSafe consistently ranks among the best home security companies. It is affordable, easy to use, and tough to beat. Moreover, SimpliSafe has proven that it will not leave homeowners in a lurch.
It has been in the market for close to two decades, so it is unlikely that it will dissolve when compared to new competitors such as Cove.
The big take-away when you compare SimpliSafe to the competition is that the former is simple as the name suggests. It seems that SimpliSafe wants to keep everything simple to use and low-cost.
Its only shortcoming is that you can’t connect it with tons of different third-party devices when you compare with other providers like Abode.
But the good thing is that it will not punish you with cancellation fees if you decide to stop using the system. Additionally, we noted that SimpliSafe has quite a number of features that are hard to find elsewhere.
Here is a summarized overview of SimpliSafe competitive edge:
- RapidSOS: This feature allows SimpliSafe’s monitors to share your information with local dispatchers in a few seconds. So, it can save minutes off the police response time. Also, note that SimpliSafe and Cove are the only major security brands that offer this integration.
- Video alarm verification: This feature is only available for Fast Protect customers, and it lets SimpliSafe’s professional monitors check a few clips from your security cameras to have a clue of what is going on. So, they can confirm the alarm to be able to dispatch the best support service.
- Fast Protect technology: Recently, SimpliSafe introduced two monitoring updates to optimize emergency dispatch time. Optional critical alarm notifications can bypass your phone on Do Not Disturb settings during an emergency, while text-based alarms allow you to quickly confirm an emergency or cancel a false alarm.
- Small-batch pro monitoring: While it doesn’t advertise it, SimpliSafe allows you to buy 30 days of pro monitoring and decide exactly when you can use them, for instance, when you are on vacation.
SimpliSafe Equipment Overview
SimpliSafe has undergone a number of upgrades of products with the latest being the generation 3 SimpliSafe system, which is an improved version of the previous releases.
For instance, the Gen 3 system comes with an improved wireless range as well as upgraded design and aesthetics of the sensors.
In the table below, we will highlight some of the pre-customized equipment options from SimpliSafe. But you should keep in mind that the prices listed are MSRP. SimpliSafe usually has sales that can save you money.
| Package | The Beacon | The Lighthouse | The Haven | The Knox | The Heart | The Essentials | The Foundation |
| Price | $699.90 | $464.93 | $509.86 | $469.87 | $394.91 | $274.95 | $244.96 |
| Base station | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Keypad | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Key fob | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Entry sensors | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Motion sensors | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Auxiliary siren | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Panic button | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Freeze sensor | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Smoke detector | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Water sensor | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
SimpliSafe Setup and Integration
Installing the SimpliSafe home security system is hassle-free unless you are buying a used system from a previous owner. In this case, you need to reset the system, which adds some extra hassle to the process.
Also, unlike other DIY systems like Frontpoint and Cove, your SimpliSafe sensors don’t come pre-paired with the base station. What it means is that you have to name and connect everything by yourself.
The good thing is that there are simple instructions to follow. Actually, everything is pretty easy but the pairing process may take a while.
SimpliSafe Compatibility
As mentioned earlier, connectivity with third-party systems is not one of SimpliSafe’s strengths. But you can pair the system with Google or Alexa smart speaker and then add smart home gadgets to the speaker.
Note that devices like plugs and lights don’t work directly with SimpliSafe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need a smartphone or internet access to use SimpliSafe?
No, you don’t need any of these to be able to use SimpliSafe. All you need to have in order for the system to run are a keypad and the base station.
The good thing with these components is that they have built-in cellular connections that facilitate communication.
However, you may need to go online to enable or access some features such as the SimpliCam security camera.
Does SimpliSafe support PINs and guest logins?
You can access the SimpliSafe app via a username and password.
Unfortunately, there is no way to set up guest permissions, meaning that anyone who accesses the system can change system settings.
But the good thing is that you can create four custom PINs for the SimpliSafe keypad, allowing you to know exactly who entered your house.
Why would I need to pay an extra fee for professional monitoring?
The obvious benefit of a professionally monitored system is that you have peace of mind knowing that someone is watching over your home.
If anything triggers your SimpliSafe alarm, the professional monitoring team will receive an alert, allowing them to confirm the emergency and send support.
Closing Remarks
SimpliSafe is a straightforward, affordable DIY smart home security system. Its compact equipment is ideal for small homes, but may not be sufficient if you need something to protect your large property.
Other than this, SimpliSafe offers a lot of options, from DIY or professional installation to self-monitoring or professional monitoring.
And the good thing is that you don’t have to sign up for a long-term commitment, as all the contracts are month-to-month.
Overall, SimpliSafe offers excellent value for money when compared to the competition. It is also easy to set up, and it doesn’t look or feel like a compromised pick.
While there is new competition from established brands like Wyze, Ring, ADT, Vivint, and Abode, any folk interested in straightforward home security, we are confident that SimpliSafe is among the best systems on the market.
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